Erie County leaders concerned about uptick in COVID cases in kids

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FOR MORE THAN 93- PERCENT OFCOVID-19 CASES ACROSS THECOUNTRY.ERIE COUNTY IS SEEING A SUMMERSURGE..

AND THE COUNTYEXECUTIVE IS ONCE AGAINPLEADING WITH YOU TO GETTESTED AND VACCINATED.

THENUMBER OF*HOSPITALIZATION *HAVE QUADRUPLED OVER THE PASTSEVERAL WEEKS.

AND THE NUMBERSOF*CASE* ARE UP IN EVERY AGEBRACKET..

WITH HIGHERCONCENTRATIONS OF CASES INSPRINGVILLE AND THE EAST SIDEOF BUFFALO.

AS OF TODAY....THERE ARE 64- POINT-3 TOTALCASES PER 100- THOUSANDRESIDENTS.

THAT'S WELL ABOVETHE THRESHOLD NEEDED TO BECONSIDERED A "SUBSTANTIALRISK" OF TRANSMISSION AREA.AND AS OLIVIA PROIA REPORTS...THE COUNTY IS CONCERNED ABOUTOUR YOUNGER NEIGHBORS... WITHSCHOOL RIGHT AROUND THECORNER.}} (00:03) (00:12) (00:17)AN INCREASE IN COVID CASESAMOUNG YOUTH... POLONCARZ:YOUTH AGES 17 AND YOUNGER ITWAS MORE THAN DOUBLE THAN WHATIT WAS LAST WEEK.

IT WENT FROM43 CASES TO 98 CASES.

ERIECOUNTY SAYS THE UPTICK ISLARGELY CAUSED BY SUMMER CAMPSAND SCHOOLS.

BURSTEIN: INJULY, WE HAVE SEEN MOREEVIDENCE OF TRANSMISSION INTHE SUMMER SCHOOLS AND THECAMPS THAN COMPARED TO WHAT WESAW DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.ERIE COUNTY HEALTHCOMMISSIONER DR. GALE BURSTEINSAYS SCHOOLS AND SUMMER CAMPSARE NOT TAKING WELL-KNOWNPREVENTATIVE MEASURES... LIKENOT WEARING MASKS.

BUSTEIN:THERE'S UNVACCINATED STAFF ANDMANY OF THEM ARE NOT MASKING.THEY'RE NOT COHORTING.

THEY'RENOT JUST STAYING IN ONE GROUP.DR. BURSTEIN SAYS THE BIGGESTPROBLEM IS PEOPLE AREN'TSTAYING HOME WHEN THEY'RESICK.

BUSTEIN: CAMPERS ORSTUDENTS ARE COMING INTO CAMPOR SCHOOL WHEN THEY'RE SICK.WHEN YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS, YOUHAVE TO STAY HOME.

THIS IS WHYWE'RE SEEING TRANSMISSION.

THESTATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HASYET TO RELEASE COVID GUIDANCEFOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.AND THE STATE EDUCATIONDEPARTMENT IS ADVISING SCHOOLSFOLLOW C-D-C GUIDANCE FORMASKING, SOCIAL DISTANCING ANDTESTING.

BURSTEIN: AND THEN WEAREA ALSO WORKING WITH ALL THESCHOOL DISTRICTS TO OFFER THEMSCREENING TESTING DURING THESCHOOL YEAR TO HELP KEEP THESCHOOLS OPEN.

WE WANT THESCHOOLS TO BE OPEN AND WE AREDOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TOWORK WITH THE SCHOOLS TO MAKETHAT HAPPEN.

OP7EWN.AS OF TODAY NEARLY 61- PERCENTOF*AL* ERIE COUNTY RES